REAX: Okay, so you started Big Sam's Funky Nation as somewhat of a side project while playing with Dirty Dozen Brass Band in the early 2000's. What was it like to be the youngest member of such a legendary New Orleans, funk band? Did you grow up listening to them? What other NOLA musicians have you drawn inspiration from?

Big Sam: I didn't really get into the music thing until I was about 15 years old. At that point, Dirty Dozen was really all I knew. I idolized them. In high school they were all I listened to. I mean I knew about the Rebirth Brass Band? and Soul Rebels Brass Band? but Dirty Dozen is what we sat around listening to. I had been involved with Soul Rebels when the Dirty Dozen invited me to tour with them. It was crazy. Here I was this eighteen year-old kid, fresh out of high school, touring with one of the most legendary funk bands to come out of New Orleans. Those guys looked out for me. Ya know, I was 18 and the next member closest in age to me was in his 30's. They really took me under their wing and made sure I stayed out of trouble out on the road. They totally taught me the ropes, I will always love them for that.

REAX: That's a pretty big achievement to be part of such a celebrated band as a teenager. Where did your musical origins begin? Was it just something you stumbled upon growing up in New Orleans? I've read that one of the founding fathers of jazz, Buddy Bolden?, is your great grandfather. Is it true that you didn't always know this about your family tree?

Big Sam: I had no idea what I had in my blood line when I was growing up. As far as I knew at that time, no one in my family had ever played music at all. Nobody was playing it at that time, I had never heard anything of it. Once I graduated from high school from New Orleans' Center for Creative Arts, I found out about my family tree. My dad's whole side of the family are Boldens. Buddy was my grandfather's dad. He was responsible for helping found the entire New Orleans jazz-scene. He directly influenced Freddie Keppard? and all those cats. He was the first to ever do it, it's pretty crazy.

REAX: The underlying themes of your studio albums seem to lie in the titles. Take Me Back was recorded in Florida while you were displaced after the events of Hurricane Katrina, and was clearly written with those events in mind. Is it safe to say the latest album, Peace Love and Understanding, was written to represent those exact ideals? Do you feel you have significantly evolved from Take Me Back to the latest album? You're back at home now, playing with your original band, you guys won the coveted Big Easy Music Award for Best New funk Band of 2008. You're really on top of your game man, you've got to be feeling great! Is this juncture in your life where the title of the new album derived?

Big Sam: Yeah that's exactly right. The summer after Katrina is when I went on tour with Elvis Costello and them. That had a lot to do with opening me up and making me see things a different way, in a really positive light. It was crazy, I just like had this vision. I think that's where the concept for the new album came from. The newfound peace, love and understanding in my life. It's a beautiful thing.

REAX: That actually brings me to my next question. You have devoted a lot of time and effort to the River in Reverse Project. Which is the New-Orleans benefit, brainchild of Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint?. Can you tell us a little bit about the project? What was it like working with such idols? What has the project meant to you personally?

Big Sam: I've never experienced anything like that in my life, it was the whole experience. I had just left the Desert (post-Katrina, New Orleans) to take care of things and pursue my own projects when I got a call from Allen and
his people saying that they wanted me to work with them on this. It was crazy. I figured I had no reason not to. The Funky Nation hadn't really taken off yet. We had been mostly doing shows in New Orleans so I said, yeah of course I'll do it! So Allen and Costello got me involved and we all met in L.A. to record. That was a really crazy experience. Those guys are legends. It brought me to a whole new level of thinking. They are so creative and their song writing process just blew me away. I had never seen anything like it. It really showed me something to look forward to.

I've been very fortunate in being able to explore the depths of the music world. With the River in Reverse Project I got to go on an international tour with Allen and Elvis, it was nuts. We did a few shows over-sees with Liz Phair as well, I couldn't even get a grasp on it. I got to play with cats like Widespread Panic? during that time too. It was such a crazy experience. All these different kinds of musicians coming together harmoniously, it's a beautiful thing. It was one of my favorite experiences ever, hands down.

REAX: ''Along with being added to some pretty major festival bills such as
Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits, you guys have also also been added to the Bear Creek lineup this year. Which is very near and dear to my heart and has become the southernmost mecca of the funk scene with bands like Dumpstaphunk? and Lettuce? headlining in recent years. I have to ask, do you New Orleaners feel a special connection to us Florida folks? Take Me Back was recorded in the good old sunshine state with a Florida based, backing band. Do you think us Floridians can keep up with the NOLA crowd?!''

Big Sam: Without a doubt! Ya know, we have festivals in New Orleans that are very near to our hearts as well. Voodoo fest, of course the annual Jazz Fest. We so much look forward to those all year and from what I can tell you cats in Florida have the same thing going on. Festivals like Bear Creek are so enjoyable for all of us here in NOLA. You guys really know how to get-down here in the south. One of my favorite things about this scene is that the Florida crowd gets down to ALL sorts of music. You guys do the jam thing, you the funk thing. There's no discrimination, it's just one big happy family. So yeah, we definitely feel a special connection with the Florida scene. I think all the guys would agree.

REAX: Well that feeling is mutual!

REAX: Okay, so I have to say it. The last couple times I saw you in Tampa you've seemingly progressed from Big Sam to Slim and Trim Sam. You look great man! Has that been a significant lifestyle change for you? Do you think it has improved your already stellar ability to wail on the trombone?

Big Sam: (Chuckles) Well thank you! Yeah definitely, all of the above, ya know. I had to do it man. For my health, for my ability to play, for the band, but mainly for me. I was getting really big. I was up to 315 pounds, I really was BIG Sam. It was not a healthy lifestyle. I knew it was time when I had this gig in NYC a while back and my belt popped off on stage during a song. I was like oh man, it's really time to do something about this. And ya know over the holidays it's hard. Of course November and December I probably gained back a few, but you just get back on the horse. I've been working out almost everyday, getting back on my grind. It feels good.

REAX: What's next for you and the Funky Nation? You guys are out touring and promoting the latest album, as well as playing some pretty major festivals in the upcoming year. Any plans for a fourth studio, album? Any special side projects in the works?

Big Sam: Yeah we are actually in the studio right now. Whenever we are home from tour we can't wait to start recording again. I'm trying to have the fourth studio album out by late March or early April. It's going to be called King of the Party. It's pretty different then the usual Funky Nation stuff. I don't want to call it poppy but it almost has a poppy sound. I'll just call it "hip" It's just a "hip" sound. It's good music, we are pretty proud of what we've been working on. It's definitely party music.

REAX: The Funky Nation is playing Skippers Smokehouse in Tampa on the 3oth of this month, which has been host to some pretty big players of the NOLA scene, most recently Trombone Shorty?. Ivan Neville?, who I know is a friend of yours, is playing there with Dumpstaphunk? in February. Just curious, do you guys all get together and coincide about venues to play and such things? Do you guys ever just kick-it back home? You, the Neville Brothers, Trombone Shorty...do you guys all get together and shoot the shit or play Yatzee together when you're not touring? If so, can I be invited sometime? (laughing)

Big Sam: (Big Chuckles) Yes we do and of course you can be invited! It's funny man, I got a call from Trombone Shorty? when he was in Tampa saying "Man, it's poppin' down here!" Yeah, when all of us are back home we definitely kick-it together. We just hang out during the day or get together to watch the Saints game or just do whatever. It's a pretty tight-night community we've got going back home. We always keep in touch with each other. Especially lately, we are all on different schedules and out touring so we watch each other's backs. It'll be like, "Hey how did that venue work out? or "How was the vibe in this city?" We definitely look out for one another. It's all love.

REAX: Anything else you want REAX readers to know about Big Sam or the Funky Nation?

Big Sam: Hope to see you all out at the Skipper's Smokehouse show on the 30th and Keep it FUNKY ya'll!

Saturday January 30
BIG SAM’S FUNKY NATION
ROSIE LEDETAND THE ZYDECO PLAYBOYS
9PM | $15/$20 | 21&UP
@ SKIPPERS SMOKEHOUSE
910 Skipper Rd – Tampa – 813.971.0666 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              813.971.0666      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
http://www.reaxmusic.com/Louisiana+Saturday+Night+Party